Free Digital News for Teens Stalls; Portugal Plans Simpler Sign-Up

Government Reviews Under-Subscribed Free Digital Press Scheme for Teenagers

The Portuguese executive is taking stock of its initiative that offers teenagers a two-year, cost-free digital subscription to a daily newspaper or weekly magazine. Although the scheme has been running since the spring, only about 4,500 young people have enrolled—far fewer than officials had hoped for.

What the Programme Offers

Under the Action Plan for the Media (Plano de Ação para a Comunicação Social – PACS), every resident aged 15 to 18 can pick one general-interest or business publication and read it online without paying any fee until the end of 2027. Registration is open on the government portal until 31 December 2025 and requires nothing more than a Citizen Card and an e-mail address.

Why Take-Up Is So Low

Speaking in parliament, Presidency Minister António Leitão Amaro admitted that several factors could be limiting participation:• Limited publicity—many schools and youth organisations were unaware the offer existed.• Technical hurdles—some students reported difficulties with the authentication process on the portal.• Content mismatch—certain titles may feel too "adult" or text-heavy for younger readers, reducing their appeal.

Next Steps Under Consideration

The cabinet is weighing three short-term fixes:

A nationwide information campaign on social media and in secondary schools.

A simplified single-click sign-on using the mobile digital ID already employed for public-service apps.

An expanded list of eligible publications, including outlets with a stronger youth or cultural focus.

Officials insist that the €1.2 million earmarked for the scheme is still available and will not lapse even if changes are introduced.

Broader Context: Youth Benefits Under Scrutiny

The lukewarm response contrasts with the success of another flagship measure aimed at the same demographic: the free public-transport pass for everyone up to 23 years old. That mobility scheme added 31,000 new riders in Lisbon and Porto during its first week and is expected to reach roughly 240,000 users nationwide at a projected annual cost of €40 million—about €167 per beneficiary.

Policy analysts note that while the transport pass offers an immediate financial reward each time a young person taps onto a bus or metro, the advantages of a digital-news subscription are longer-term and less tangible, focusing on media literacy and critical thinking.

What Experts Say

Maria João Gomes, a media-education researcher at the University of Minho, argues that "literacy interventions need the same marketing flair as any consumer product—especially when the target group scrolls through content all day long." She recommends pairing the subscriptions with classroom projects or influencer partnerships to boost relevance.

Transport economist Rui Barros draws a parallel with the mobility pass: "Youth measures work best when the path to enrollment is frictionless and the benefit is crystal-clear. Streamlining the sign-up flow could raise the subscription numbers without major extra spending."

Timeline

• April 2025 – Programme launches quietly with a pilot group.• October 2025 – Enrolments plateau at roughly 4,500.• November 2025 – Government announces formal evaluation and possible redesign.• December 2025 – Current deadline for new registrations; may be extended if reforms proceed.

Bottom Line

Whether the free-press scheme is revamped or replaced, Lisbon’s experiment underlines a simple truth: giving something away is not enough—especially when the audience is young, digitally savvy and flooded with competing content. Converting teenagers into regular news readers may demand as much ingenuity in outreach as in policy design.